If you are a minister who has been through a job search, there is a pretty good chance you have heard or felt that sentiment from more than one congregation. In one form or fashion, there is a pretty common pattern that we see in the church today when a congregation is looking for a new minister. If often goes like this:
- Step 1 - Identify potential candidates.
- Step 2 - Interview each candidate as they submit an application.
- Step 3 - Put the candidate “on hold” while you see who else applies for the position.
- Step 4 - Wait several months and then hire someone.
When congregations use this process they are in essence telling candidates, “We like you but we want to see if anyone better comes along.” This is a horrible message to send to a candidate and probably not something you would appreciate if you were on the candidate side of the process. Several things tend to happen in this approach and none of them are good.
- Your top candidates feel slighted and withdraw from the process.
- Other candidates withdraw due to the risk that an open-ended hiring process poses for their current job.
- The candidates who remain in the pool often had no where better to be.
- When you do hire someone, your new minister has to wonder if you “settled” on them rather than really wanting them.
To overcome these sorts of issues, I created the Minister Hiring Process. In my process I advocate the forming of a “candidate pool” before you engage with candidates in the interview and selection process. When candidates apply for the position, tell them up front that you will not engage in any interviews until the end of the application period. Even then don’t even proceed with the selection process unless you are confident that the candidate pool is large enough and strong enough to contain your next minister.
Once started, our selection process shows you how to move with speed and efficiency to focus in on your top candidates. The entire process is designed to keep the best candidates engaged in your search. It makes them feel valued as they rise to the top and pass through each round of the selection process. Since the process progresses rapidly and candidates immediately know if they are moving to the next round, there is less risk for them to remain a part of your search.
If you are tired of putting candidates “on hold” and want to find a better hiring process, please download our FREE Minister Hiring Process Overview. I’ll show you a better way to find and hire ministers and give you all of the tools you need to bring the process to life. To learn more, visit our website at http://www.ministermatch.com/minister-hiring-process do download your free overview of the process today.
